CAEN Calvados
Caen was broken, ruined, but liberated
In the beginning of July 1944, Caen, the great Norman city and one of the initial objectives set for the D day, was not yet liberated. On 7 July, the Allied Forces launched the Operation Charnwood that should have liberated the city. The offensive bagan with a massive bombing of the northern outskirts of Caen; on 9 July, at daybreak, units of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Ulster Rifles entered north of Caen. With help of the French Resistance, they reached the river Orne in the beginning of the afternoon. In the west, the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders of the 3rd Infantry Division moved in the city, they were harassed by isolated groups of SS grenadiere. But the Allied Forces could not cross over the river Orne. On 18 July, the Operation Goodwood, launched on the east flank of Caen, conquered the city. The battle raged during two days, on 18 and 19 July, to put an end to the sufferings of Caen population.

   
 
 
   
Caen Memorial
This museum "for Peace" was built on the site of the 1944 Commanding post of German General Richter. It was inaugurated in 1988, it presents the political and strategic stakes of the XXth century. Through a five stages scenographic progression it recalls the main phases of the Second World War. One can find a gallery of the Peace Nobel Prize in the basement.

  3rd British Infantry Division monument
Monument in memory of the 3rd British Infantry Division soldiers who fought for the liberation of Caen in June and July 1944.
Situation : Liberation avenue, at the foot of Caen castle battlements

  Raymond Chatelain FFI plaque
Plaque in memory of Raymond Chatelain, second lieutenant FFI of the Scamaroni Company, killed on 15 July 1944 in fighting side to side with the Regina Rifles Regiment soldiers.
Situation : on Vaucelles bridge

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders stele
Stele in memory of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders soldiers, of the 9th Brigade (3rd Canadian Infantry Division) who were among the first Allied troops to enter Caen.
Situation : ZI du Chemin vert, corner of Authie street and President Coty avenue

Liberation stele
Stele commemorating the first French flag fluttering since four years of german occupation, on 9 July 1944. It honours the memory of the Allied soldiers and the FFI combatants who died to liberate Caen.
Situation : Monseigneur des Hameaux place

  Canadian soldier plaque
Plaque in memory of the first Canadian soldier who died to liberate Caen.
Situation : on a wall of the Prefecture garden

General de Gaulle stele
Stele dedicated to General Charles de Gaulle who liberated France
Situation : Gambetta place

ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Television and Radio National Institute web site – News extracts about D-day
http://www.ina.fr/extraits/recherche_theme.php
France 5 TV website about the Second World War
http://www.france5.fr/2gm/

Calvados departmental tourism office web site
http://www.calvados-tourisme.com/

Charles de Gaulle fondation web site
http://www.charles-de-gaulle.org/

 
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